Raspberries are an economically important crop in the United States and many cultivars of raspberry plant are known. However, there is a need to develop new raspberry varieties with improved characteristics.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct floricane bearing (summer fruiting on second year canes) red raspberry variety designated as ‘WSU 2166’. The variety is botanically known as Rubus idaeus L. The new and distinct variety of red raspberry originated from a hand-pollinated cross of Washington State University selection 1447 (unpatented) as the maternal parent and Washington State University selection 0697 (unpatented) as the paternal parent.
The cross was made in Year 1 at Puyallup, Wash. Seeds were germinated in the winter of Year 1-2 and the resulting seedlings planted in Year 2 with a cooperating raspberry grower in Burlington, Wash. Selections were made in Year 4, while riding a raspberry harvester.
Varietal designation ‘WSU 2166’ was selected in Year 4 and asexually propagated at Puyallup, Wash. by tissue culture using meristem cultures from axillary buds of primocanes. This selection was planted in non-replicated plots with a cooperating grower in Year 5 and planted with a second grower in Year 8. The plantings were maintained by the growers using typical commercial methods and fruit machine harvested. The plantings were subjectively evaluated weekly for adaptation to machine harvesting for two fruiting seasons. In all harvest seasons this selection machine harvested well and had large fruit size. This selection was tested for tolerance to root rot. Plants and fruit of this new variety have remained true to type through successive generations of asexual propagation. The raspberry plant that is the subject of this disclosure is being named and released as ‘WSU 2166’.